Top 3 Recommendations when Installing Firestopping Material
When it comes to preventing fires in your facility and mitigating the damage they can cause, you can never be too careful. Coating structural components and sensitive assets with fireproof paint is essential for protecting your property from collapse and major damage – but fireproofing is only one of many methods to consider for protecting your people and property from flames. Fireproofing and firestopping are often conflated, but these terms refer to two separate projects. Whereas fireproofing involves spraying or painting materials with a cementitious or intumescent coating, firestopping refers to materials and methods that block gaps between assemblies so fire and smoke cannot easily travel from one area to the next within your building.
Here are three key recommendations to follow when installing firestopping material at your facility.
Three Recommendations When Installing Firestopping Material
1. Understand the Firestopping Alphabet
Firestopping materials come in a variety of forms, including sealants, sprays, mechanical devices, foam blocks and pillows. Different firestopping methods are best suited for specific applications. But with so many potential firestopping applications, it helps to rely on some sort of standard that simplifies the process.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an international independent safety science company, tests and assesses firestopping materials produced by different manufacturers and gives them letter-based and numeric designations based on the type of penetrated fire-rated structure (first letter) and construction type (second letter). As for first letter assignments, F is for floor penetrations, W is for wall penetrations, and C is for both floor and wall penetrations. Second letter assignments include A for concrete floors 5 inches thick or less, B for concrete floors above 5 inches thick, C for framed floors – the list goes on.
From there, the following numbers refer to the penetrating items. 1000 – 1999 cover metal piping, whereas 3000 – 3999 are for cables. Having these classifications handy (or memorizing them) is a great way to quickly identify which type of firestopping material is needed and where it should go in your facility.
2. Implement Firestopping Wherever There are Openings Within Your Facility
Fires can spread fast, so containing them is crucial. The more openings present in your facility, the more space is created for flames to spread, putting your people, structure, and assets at risk. As mentioned earlier, firestopping is concerned with blocking off these openings via sprays, sealants, mechanical devices, and foam materials. But even the highest-quality firestopping materials won’t serve their function if they’re not strategically and properly placed throughout your facility. As a rule of thumb, the two primary applications for firestopping are:
Around openings that are made in construction for pipes, cables, or HVAC systems
Where two assemblies meet, forming an expansion joint such as the top of a wall or floor-to-floor joints.
Put simply, if there’s a gap between areas in your facility, there’s an avenue for fire and smoke to escape – therefore, all of these openings require attention when installing firestopping materials. Even a minor oversight can result in major liability.
3. Keep a Close Eye on Codes
Fire codes relevant to your industry and facility type determine the construction, protection, and occupancy rules you must adhere to. Keep in mind, however, that these codes are subject to change. Facility managers must remain aware of any issues that might cause their facility to fall out of compliance, as well as any updates in fire protection and prevention codes. Keeping track of these detailed matters requires significant time and energy, however, so it’s best to let the experts handle them and give you the rundown when necessary.
Work with Quality Fireproof Contractors
Firestopping is just one of many installations related to fire safety at your facility, and it comes with its fair share of nuances and headaches. Fortunately, Kaloutas brings the most updated equipment and knowledge of what your commercial facility needs for its firestopping so you can focus on your business. With fire engineers on staff, a no work stoppage guarantee, and multiservice repertoire, you only have to implement one contractor onboarding, one walkthrough, and one contract when working with us.
To learn more about us and all that we do, contact us online or give us a call at 978−532−1414 today.